Michigan
Big Ten Championships
Wolverines Win 41st Big Ten Championship
2/29/2020 9:03:00 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving
» Michigan won the Big Ten championship for the 41st time, ending Indiana's three-year run atop the conference. It's the program's first title since 2016.
» Felix Auböck completed the distance sweep, winning the 1,650-yard freestyle for the fourth consecutive year. He is the first swimmer to win the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles at four straight Big Ten Championships since former Michigan swimmer Chris Thompson (1998-01).
» Tommy Cope became the first Michigan swimmer to win a Big Ten title in the 200-yard breaststroke since Scott Spann in 2008. His performance on Saturday was a new school record (1:51.44).
» Ross Todd was named Big Ten Co-Diver of the Championships. He won three medals this week: gold on one-meter, silver on three-meter and bronze on platform.
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center)
Event: Big Ten Championships (Day 4 of 4)
U-M Team Standing: 1st place of 10 Teams (1,548 points)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, March 8 -- at Last Chance Meet (Location TBD), Time TBD
• Photo Gallery
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 3-ranked University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team won its 41st Big Ten championship on Saturday (Feb. 29), closing out a dominant wire-to-wire win at the Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center. The Wolverines ended Indiana's three-year reign as champions, winning their first title since 2016.
In the swimming pool, U-M won seven Big Ten individual, relay or diving titles. The Wolverines got up-and-down contributions from its nine-man senior class at the Championships, including Felix Auböck, who swept the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles for the fourth consecutive year. Charlie Swanson recorded a four-peat of his own in the 400-yard IM, while Miles Smachlo went back-to-back in the 100-yard butterfly and Tommy Cope registered his first individual title with a school-record time in the 200-yard breaststroke (1:51.44). Junior Ross Todd was named Big Ten Co-Diver of the Championships after winning three medals this week -- a gold on one-meter, a silver on three-meter and a bronze on platform.
"This is a testament to our special senior class," said head coach Mike Bottom. "They fought hard all four years and never gave up. Those who stay will be champions. I couldn't be more proud of this team."
"Every diver fought and pushed themselves to score for the team," added diving coach Mike Hilde. "They showed a lot of resilience and proved that Michigan divers can hang with anyone."
The Wolverines dominated the distance events through the first three days and it continued on the last day, going 1-2-4-6 in the 1,650-yard freestyle. It was a two-man race between Auböck and training partner Ricardo Vargas, but Auböck pulled away and finished in 14:30.10 for the win. He is the first man to win the 500- and 1,650-yard freestyles at four straight Big Ten Championships since U-M alum and U.S. Olympian Chris Thompson (1998-01).
Vargas finished with a silver medal (14:39.48), finishing nearly 15 seconds ahead of third-place finisher Mikey Calvillo (Indiana). Freshman Danny Berlitz, who swam the preliminaries of the 200-yard breaststroke earlier in the day, was fourth (14:58.54), while junior Will Roberts made the podium in sixth (15:00.58).
Michigan loaded up in the 200-yard breaststroke, placing six into A or B finals. Cope was locked in a three-way battle for the win with Ohio State's Paul Delakis, the top seed, and Minnesota's Max McHugh, last year's runner-up. The three were within a half-second of each other with 50 yards to go, but Cope held on to win his first Big Ten individual title by two-tenths of a second over Delakis, setting a new school record (1:51.44). He is the first Michigan swimmer to win a Big Ten title in the 200-yard breaststroke since Scott Spann (2008).
Senior Jeremy Babinet was just off the medal stand in fourth (1:52.77), while senior Charlie Swanson was seventh (1:53.62). Those in the consolation final included senior Jacob Montague (11th, 1:55.00), sophomore AJ Bornstein (14th, 1:55.68) and sophomore Mason Hunter (16th, 1:56.96).
Senior captain Rob Zofchak had one of the best moments of the meet, capping a fantastic week of swimming with a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke, smashing his old personal record by more than a second-and-a-half (1:41.34). He was eighth with 50 yards to go, but closed in 25.21, the second-fastest split of the field. It was the first championship final of Zofchak's career at the Big Ten Championships -- achieved on the last day of his last Big Ten Championships. Sophomore Jared Daigle made the consolation final with a new PR during preliminaries, finishing 15th (1:45.37).
Three swimmers made it back in the 100-yard freestyle, led by junior Luiz Gustavo Borges, who was fifth (42.61). Sophomore Patrick Callan, who was 42nd in the event last year, was 10th (43.24) and freshman Cam Peel was 11th (43.47).
Senior Miles Smachlo capped a special meet, winning a silver medal in the 200-yard butterfly with the second-best time in school history (1:41.47). Junior/sophomore Spencer Carl added points in the consolation final (13th, 1:45.63), while freshman River Wright (17th, 1:45.33) and senior Alex Martin (23rd, 1:47.17) got second swims in the bonus final.
Todd put the exclamation point on a fantastic meet, finishing third on platform (419.50) to go along with his gold medal on one-meter and silver medal on three-meter. Junior Chris Canning made another consolation final, taking 11th (325.80), while freshman Nick Leavell (19th, 261.50) and senior Jake Herremans (22nd, 245.80) added points in the bonus final.
Michigan capped off the night with a third-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay behind Borges, Peel, Swanson and Callan (2:51.38).
Select Wolverines looking to improve their chances of qualifying for the NCAA Championships will be back in action next Sunday (March 8) at a Last Chance Meet. Location and start time will be determined later this week.
Michigan Big Ten Champions (7)
Felix Auböck (2): 500-yard Freestyle, 1650-yard Freestyle
Tommy Cope (1): 200-yard Breaststroke
Miles Smachlo (1): 100-yard Butterfly
Charlie Swanson (1): 400-yard IM
Ross Todd (1): One-Meter Diving
800-yard Freestyle Relay: Patrick Callan, Felix Auböck, Charlie Swanson, Tommy Cope
Big Ten Award Winners
Swimmer of the Championships: Bruno Blaskovic, Indiana
Co-Diver of the Championships: ROSS TODD, Michigan and Lyle Yost, Ohio State
Freshman of the Year: Brendan Burns, Indiana
U-M Sportsmanship Award Honoree: Jacob Montague
2019-20 Michigan All-Big Ten Selections
First Team: Felix Auböck, Patrick Callan, Tommy Cope, Miles Smachlo, Charlie Swanson, Ross Todd
Second Team: Luiz Gustavo Borges, Will Chan, Cam Peel, River Wright, Eric Storms, Ricardo Vargas
Career Bests
200-yard Backstroke: Rob Zofchak (1:41.34 -- No. 5 at U-M)
200-yard Backstroke: Jared Daigle (1:44.10)
100-yard Freestyle: Patrick Callan (43.23)
100-yard Freestyle: Cam Peel (43.47)
200-yard Breaststroke: Tommy Cope (1:51.44 -- No. 1 at U-M)
200-yard Breaststroke: AJ Bornstein (1:55.68)
200-yard Butterfly: Miles Smachlo (1:41.47 -- No. 2 at U-M)
200-yard Butterfly: River Wright (1:46.59)
200-yard Butterfly: Alex Martin (1:46.72)
100-yard Backstroke: Eric Storms (47.32 -- time trial)
Results
Team Standings (Final)
1. MICHIGAN 1548 2. Ohio State 1329 3. Indiana 1321.5 4. Wisconsin 834.5 5. Northwestern 665 6. Iowa 571 7. Purdue 561 8. Minnesota 551 9. Penn State 531 10. Michigan State 309
1,650-yard Freestyle
1. Felix Auböck, U-M 14:30.10*P 2. Ricardo Vargas, U-M 14:39.48# 4. Danny Berlitz, U-M 14:58.54# 6. Will Roberts, U-M 15:00.58#
200-yard Backstroke
1. Gabriel Fantoni, IU 1:40.31# 4. Rob Zofchak, U-M 1:41.34# 15. Jared Daigle, U-M 1:45.37 (1:44.10#) 37. Alex King, U-M 1:50.76
100-yard Freestyle
1. Bruno Blaskovic, IU 41.88# 5. Luiz Gustavo Borges, U-M 42.61# 10. Patrick Callan, U-M 43.24# (43.23#) 11. Cam Peel, U-M 43.47#
200-yard Breaststroke
1. Tommy Cope, U-M 1:51.44* 4. Jeremy Babinet, U-M 1:52.77# 7. Charlie Swanson, U-M 1:53.62# (1:52.88#) 11. Jacob Montague, U-M 1:55.00# 14. AJ Bornstein, U-M 1:55.68# 16. Mason Hunter, U-M 1:56.96# (1:55.72#) 28. Danny Berlitz, U-M 1:58.54 31. Will Chan, U-M 1:59.09
200-yard Butterfly
1. Brendan Burns, IU 1:40.98#P 2. Miles Smachlo, U-M 1:41.47# 13. Spencer Carl, U-M 1:45.63# (1:44.59#) 17. River Wright, U-M 1:45.33# 23. Alex Martin, U-M 1:47.17 (1:46.72)
Platform Diving
1. Lyle Yost, OSU 451.00^ 3. Ross Todd, U-M 419.50^ 11. Chris Canning, U-M 325.80^ 19. Nick Leavell, U-M 261.50 22. Jake Herremans, U-M 245.80
400-yard Freestyle Relay
1. Indiana 2:48.43*P (Jack Franzman, Bruno Blaskovic, Van Mathias, Mohamed Samy) 3. MICHIGAN 2:51.38# (Luiz Gustavo Borges, Cam Peel, Charlie Swanson, Patrick Callan)
* NCAA 'A' standard
# NCAA 'B' standard
^ NCAA Zone Diving standard
A American Record
N NCAA Record
B Big Ten Record
% Big Ten Championships Record
M University of Michigan Record
P Pool Record
Players Mentioned
